[Python-Dev] PEP 477: selected ensurepip backports for Python 2.7

[Terry Reedy]

On 8/31/2014 6:00 PM, Nick Coghlan wrote:
> Earlier versions of PEP 453 proposed bootstrapping pip into a Python 2.7
> maintenance release in addition to including it with Python 3.4.
>
> That part of the proposal proved to be controversial, so we dropped it
> from the original PEP in order to focus on meeting the Python 3.4
> specific release deadlines. This also had the benefit of working out the
> kinks in the bootstrapping processing as part of the Python 3.4 release
> cycle.
>
> However, we still think we should start providing pip by default to
> Python 2.7 users as well, at least as part of the Windows and Mac OS X
> installers.

Having used pip for 3.4 on two windows computers, the only reason I see 
to *not* install it with Python would be 'push' people to 3.4+ by 
keeping 2.7 harder to use.

 > One notable difference from PEP 453 is that because there is no venv
 > module in 2.7, and hence no integration between venv and ensurepip,
 > we can give redistributors the option of just disabling ensurepip
 > entirely and redirecting users to platform specific installation
 > tools.

This also suggests that ensurepip does not have to be left on a Win/OS 
install either, after installation is done.  Perhaps after ensuring that 
pip is installed, ensurepip could remove itself. This would remove any 
objection that its presence in /lib constitutes a new feature (which it 
is, even if not very useful).  It would also keep /lib uniform across 
platforms.

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy